It is fitting that we celebrate Barnabas, the ‘son of consolation’, or the ‘son of encouragement’, in this season of the Holy Spirit. For the Hebraic terminus of his name, the navi (consolation, or even prophet) after the bar (son) is one of the titles of the Third Person of the Trinity, the consoler, advocate and guide.
Indeed, for Barnabas is described in today’s readings from Acts (11:26) as a ‘good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith’. He was an invaluable companion of Saint Paul’s, accompanying him on a number of his apostolic journeys, present at the first
